Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - Bosnia and Herzegovina (Ratification: 1993)

The Committee notes the Government’s report, rgarding the initial training of labour inspectors, criteria for determining the numbers of inspection staff in the two entities (Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina) and transport facilities available to labour inspectors.

Articles 6(1)(a)–(c) and (2) of the Convention. Enforcement, prevention and improvement of the legislation relating to occupational safety and health in agricultural undertakings. Activities concerning the conditions of life of workers. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government as to the various ways in which the inspection services in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska, may draw the attention of the competent authority to any gaps in the legislation relating to conditions of life and work in agricultural undertakings. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide detailed information in its next report on the nature and volume of inspection activities (reports, notices, prosecutions, etc.) and prevention activities (information and technical advice) carried out by labour inspectors in agricultural undertakings, particularly those intended to ensure the protection of workers exposed to hazards connected with the use of chemical products or complex plant or machinery.

Article 9(3). Adequate initial and further training for labour inspectors in agriculture. The Committee takes note of the information provided by the Government on the training of inspectors in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in the light of the establishment of an inspection management system with the assistance of a USAID ELMO project. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on initial and further training activities for labour inspectors specifically in agriculture-related subjects like the handling of chemicals. Please specify the content, duration, frequency, number of participants and possible impact of such training.

Articles 11 and 12. Cooperation between the labour inspection services in agriculture and duly qualified technical experts and specialists, government services and public institutions. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the possible methods of cooperation between the labour inspection services and technical experts and specialists. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the methods by which cooperation is implemented, specifically with regard to the conditions of work and the protection of workers engaged in agriculture, giving recent examples, if applicable.

Article 13. Collaboration between officials of the labour inspectorate and employers and workers or their organizations. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the ways in which the labour inspectorate and the social partners collaborate, notably through seminars, joint round tables, and communications in the course of inspections, as well as through the Economic and Social Council of the Republika Srpska which is a tripartite body entrusted, among other things, with reviewing the reports on the work of the labour inspection system. The Committee requests the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged to promote collaboration specifically in relation to agricultural undertakings between officials of the labour inspectorate and employers and workers or their organizations and to give any examples of such collaboration, particularly in the light of the guidance provided in Paragraph 14 of Recommendation No. 133.

Articles 26 and 27. Annual report on the work of the inspection services in agriculture. The Committee takes note of the report of the Federal Administration for Inspection Affairs of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2008 and 2009 but notes that it has not been able to locate information in this report, particularly touching on labour inspection in agriculture. It also notes that no annual labour inspection report relating to the Republika Srpska and the Brcko District has been received. The Committee once again reminds the Government of the obligation to publish and communicate, under Article 26 of the Convention, an annual report containing information on the subjects set forth in Article 27. It invites the Government to refer, in this regard, to paragraphs 320–345 of its General Survey of 2006 on labour inspection and emphasizes the need for information, specifically concerning the working of the labour inspection system in agriculture, to be presented separately in the general report so that labour inspection in agriculture can be improved, if necessary, by the adoption of appropriate measures (paragraph 330 of the General Survey). The Committee therefore requests the Government to indicate in its next report any measures taken or envisaged so as to collect statistics regarding the activities of the inspection services in agriculture and to ensure that the central inspection authority of each entity and the Brcko District discharges its obligations to publish and communicate to the Office an annual report on the work in agriculture of the services under their control, either as a separate report or as part of its general annual report on the activities of all the inspection services. It once again requests the Government to indicate any practical difficulties encountered in this regard and encourages it to ensure that the guidance contained in Paragraph 9 of the Labour Inspection Recommendation, 1947 (No. 81), is taken into account in the preparation of such a report with regard to the level of detail of information required by Article 27 of the present Convention, particularly regarding inspection staff appointed to the agricultural sector; agricultural undertakings liable to inspection and the persons employed therein; statistics of inspection visits; violations reported and penalties imposed; and occupational accidents and cases of occupational disease, including their causes.